Deployable phased array antenna assembly

• US 10,062,951 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Daniel, George, Liu, Victor, Volkel, Armin R., Casse, Bernard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong, Dieu H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jegede, Bamidele A
• Application Number:
  US15/066,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20170263997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 343881
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/08 Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/362 for broadside radiating helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/086 collapsible
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/32 the primary active element being end-fed and elongated
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 3/00 Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system means for positioning H01Q1/125

Abstract

A lightweight deployable antenna assembly for, e.g., microsatellites including multifilar (e.g., quadrifilar) antenna (MHA) structures rigidly maintained in an array pattern by a lightweight linkage and collectively controlled by a central antenna feed circuit and local antenna feed circuits to perform phased array antenna operations. The linkage is preferably an expandable (e.g., flexural-scissor-grid) linkage capable of collapsing into a retracted/stowage state in which the MHA elements are maintained in a closely-spaced (e.g., hexagonal lattice close-packed) configuration optimized for payload storage. To deploy the antenna for operation, the linkage unfolds (expands) such that the MHA elements are moved away from each other and into an evenly spaced (e.g., wide-spaced hexagonal) pattern optimized for phased array operations. The MHA structures utilize modified helical filar elements including metal plated/printed on polymer/plastic beams/ribbons, or thin-walled metal tubes. The helical filar elements are radially offset (e.g., by 90°) and wound around a central axis.

Claims

1. A phased array antenna assembly comprising:

a flexure-scissor-grid linkage including a plurality of support structures mechanically coupled by a plurality of linkage elements;

a plurality of multifilar helix antenna (MHA) structures, each said MHA structure having a fixed end connected to an associated support structure of the plurality of support structures and including a plurality of helical filar elements disposed in a spaced-apart relationship around a central axis and extending from said fixed end to a free end of said each MHA structure, wherein said plurality of MHA structures extend in parallel directions from said linkage, and

a central antenna feed circuit configured to simultaneously control all of said plurality of MHA structures such that said plurality of MHA structures collectively perform a phased array antenna operation.

2. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein each said helical filar element comprises one of:

a conductive material disposed on a polymer core, wherein the polymer core is bent into a helical shape;

a thin-walled metal tube bent into a helical shape, and

a conductive material disposed on a flexible substrate, wherein the substrate is bent into a helical shape.

3. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 2, wherein each MHA structure further comprises:

first and second spacers comprising polymer/plastic and respectively disposed at the fixed and free ends and configured to secure corresponding end portions of said multiple helical filar elements in said spaced-apart relationship such that each adjacent pair of said multiple helical filar elements is offset by a common radial distance relative to the central axis; and

a local feed circuit board fixedly attached to the first spacer and electrically coupled between each of said helical filar elements and said central antenna feed circuit.

4. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 3, wherein each said MHA structure of said plurality of MHA structures comprises one of a quadrifilar structure including four helical filar elements, a hexifilar structure including six helical filar elements, and an octofilar structure including eight helical filar elements.

5. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of local antenna feed circuits, each local antenna feed circuit disposed adjacent to the fixed end of an associated said MHA structure and electrically coupled between said central antenna feed circuit and said plurality of helical filar elements of said associated MHA structure.

6. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 5, wherein each local antenna feed circuit comprises:

a first hybrid coupler having first and second terminals respectively connected to a first helical filar element and a second filar element of said plurality of helical filar elements;

a second hybrid coupler having first and second terminals respectively connected to a third filar element and a fourth filar element of said plurality of helical filar elements;

a third hybrid coupler having first and second terminals respectively connected to third terminal of said first and second hybrid couplers; and

at least one amplifier coupled between said central antenna feed circuit and an output port of said third hybrid coupler.

7. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 6,

wherein said at least one amplifier comprises a low-noise amplifier and a power amplifier, and

wherein said each local antenna feed circuit further comprises:

a first switch having a first terminal connected to a third terminal of said third hybrid coupler, a second terminal connected to an input terminal of said low-noise amplifier, and a third terminal connected to an output terminal of said power amplifier, and

a second switch having a first terminal coupled to the central antenna feed circuit, a second terminal connected to an output terminal of said low-noise amplifier, and a third terminal connected to an input terminal of said power amplifier, and

wherein said first and second switches are configured to operably couple said low-noise amplifier between said central antenna feed circuit and said third hybrid coupler during each receive mode operating phase of said phased array antenna operation, and configured to couple said power amplifier between said central antenna feed circuit and said third hybrid coupler during each transmit mode operating phase of said phased array antenna operation.

8. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of MHA structures comprise a centrally disposed first MHA structure and six peripheral MHA structures disposed in a hexagonal pattern around said first MHA structure and mechanically coupled to the first MHA structure by a plurality of first linkage elements.

9. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 8, further comprising one or more additional MHA structures disposed peripheral to said six peripheral MHA structures and mechanically coupled to said six peripheral MHA structures by a plurality of second linkage elements.

10. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 1,

wherein the linkage comprises an expandable linkage configured to adjust from a retracted state to a deployed state,

wherein when said expandable linkage is in said retracted state, each adjacent pair of said support structures is separated by a first distance such that said plurality of MHA structures are maintained in a closely-spaced relationship,

wherein when said expandable linkage is in said deployed state, each adjacent pair of said support structures are separated by a second distance greater than said first distance such that said plurality of MHA structures are maintained in a spaced-apart relationship, and

wherein the central antenna feed circuit configured to simultaneously control all of said plurality of MHA structures such that said plurality of MHA structures collectively perform a phased array antenna operation only when said expandable linkage is in said deployed state.

11. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 10, wherein said expandable linkage is further configured such that said fixed ends of said plurality of MHA structures define a first plane when said expandable linkage is in said retracted state, and such that said fixed ends of said plurality of MHA structures define a second plane when said expandable linkage is in said deployed state.

12. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 11, wherein said expandable linkage further comprises:

a plurality of parallel slide rods including a central slide rod connected to a first support structure of said plurality of support structures, six peripheral slide rods connected to six peripheral support structures of said plurality of support structures and disposed in a hexagonal pattern around said central slide rod, and six intermediate slide rods disposed between said central slide rod and said six peripheral slide rods; and

a plurality of scissor units, each said scissor unit includes first and second bars rotatably connected at intermediate points by a pivot hinge, each of said first and second bars being pivotably attached at a first end to a first associated slide rod of said plurality of parallel slide rods, and each of said first and second bars being pivotably and slidably attached at a second end to a second associated slide rod of said plurality of parallel slide rods, wherein said plurality of scissor units includes;

six primary scissor units respectively coupled between the central slide rod and the six intermediate slide rods; and

twelve secondary scissor units, each secondary scissor unit coupled between an associated intermediate slide rod of the six intermediate slide rods and an associated peripheral slide rod of said six peripheral slide rods.

13. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 12, wherein said expandable linkage further comprises one or more additional slide rods coupled by way of one or more additional scissor units to one of said six peripheral slide rods.

14. A deployable phased array antenna assembly comprising:

an expandable linkage including a plurality of support structures connected by a plurality of linkage elements, wherein the expandable linkage is configured to adjust from a retracted state to an deployed state,

a plurality of multifilar helix antenna (MHA) structures, each said MHA structure having a fixed end connected to an associated support structure of the plurality of support structures and including a plurality of helical filar elements disposed in a spaced-apart relationship around a central axis and extending from said fixed end to a free end of said each MHA structure; and

a central antenna feed circuit configured to simultaneously control all of said plurality of MHA structures such that said plurality of MHA structures collectively perform a phased array antenna operation when said expandable linkage is in said deployed state,

wherein when said expandable linkage is in said retracted state, each adjacent pair of said support structures is separated by a first distance such that said plurality of MHA structures are maintained in a closely-spaced relationship, and

wherein when said expandable linkage is in said deployed state, said each adjacent pair of said support structures are separated by a second distance greater than said first distance such that said plurality of MHA structures are maintained in a spaced-apart relationship.

15. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 14, wherein each said helical filar element comprises:

a conductive material disposed on a polymer core, wherein the polymer core is bent into a helical shape;

a thin-walled metal tube bent into a helical shape, and

a conductive material disposed on a flexible substrate, wherein the substrate is bent into a helical shape.

16. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 15, wherein each MHA structure further comprises:

first and second spacers comprising polymer/plastic and respectively disposed at the fixed and free ends and configured to secure corresponding end portions of said multiple helical filar elements in said spaced-apart relationship such that each adjacent pair of said multiple helical filar elements is offset by a common radial distance relative to the central axis; and

a local feed circuit board fixedly attached to the first spacer and electrically coupled between each of said helical filar elements and said central antenna feed circuit.

17. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of local antenna feed circuits, each local antenna feed circuit disposed adjacent to the fixed end of an associated said MHA structure and electrically coupled between said central antenna feed circuit and said plurality of helical filar elements of said associated MHA structure.

18. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 17, wherein each local antenna feed circuit comprises:

a first hybrid coupler having first and second terminals respectively connected to a first helical filar element and a second filar element of said plurality of helical filar elements;

a second hybrid coupler having first and second terminals respectively connected to a third filar element and a fourth filar element of said plurality of helical filar elements;

a third hybrid coupler having first and second terminals respectively connected to third terminal of said first and second hybrid couplers; and

at least one amplifier coupled between said central antenna feed circuit and an output port of said third hybrid coupler.

19. The phased array antenna assembly of claim 18,

wherein said at least one amplifier comprises a low-noise amplifier and a power amplifier, and

wherein said each local antenna feed circuit further comprises:

a first switch having a first terminal connected to a third terminal of said third hybrid coupler, a second terminal connected to an input terminal of said low-noise amplifier, and a third terminal connected to an output terminal of said power amplifier, and

a second switch having a first terminal coupled to the central antenna feed circuit, a second terminal connected to an output terminal of said low-noise amplifier, and a third terminal connected to an input terminal of said power amplifier, and

wherein said first and second switches are configured to operably couple said low-noise amplifier between said central antenna feed circuit and said third hybrid coupler during each receive mode operating phase of said phased array antenna operation, and configured to couple said power amplifier between said central antenna feed circuit and said third hybrid coupler during each transmit mode operating phase of said phased array antenna operation.

20. A method for deploying and operating a phased array antenna assembly comprising:

disposing a plurality of multifilar helix antenna (MHA) structures on an expandable linkage such that a fixed end of each said MHA structure is connected to an associated support structure of said expandable linkage, wherein each said MHA structure includes a plurality of helical filar elements disposed in a spaced-apart relationship around a central axis and extending from said fixed end to a free end of said each MHA structure;

configuring the expandable linkage into a retracted state such that each adjacent pair of said support structures is separated by a first distance, whereby said plurality of MHA structures are maintained in a closely-spaced relationship;

transporting said phased array antenna assembly to a deployment location while disposed in said retracted state;

automatically reconfiguring the expandable linkage into a deployed state such that said each adjacent pair of said support structures are separated by a second distance greater than said first distance, whereby said plurality of MHA structures are maintained in a spaced-apart relationship; and

utilizing a central antenna feed circuit to simultaneously control all of said plurality of MHA structures while said expandable linkage is in said deployed state such that said plurality of MHA structures collectively perform a phased array antenna operation.